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Thursday, 25 April 2013

Emerged in French Culture in my Ottawa Home

Above you see a night view of, what I consider, the centre of ByWard Market; Le Moulin de Provence. ByWard market is the heart of downtown Ottawa. The soul of ByWard you will find at Le Moulin de Provence.
When I first moved to Ottawa, I was intrigued by this big building, which seemed to be attracting the most attention. Inside I found a plethora, no, that isn't the right word. Ah, a WORLD of decadence to last me 19 lifetimes. This a patisserie, deli, and bakery; a pinnacle of artisan gourmet.

Every product at Le Moulin is made fresh, on site, every single day. The pastry, the bread, sandwiches, cookies, quiches, meat pies, 15 different cold salads, hot meals, soups, just to name a few. An intricate art is put into every product, which you can see without ease. Approximately 10% of all new guests at first just come in to be in awe.

Everyone who works at Le Moulin de Provence speaks fluent French. That is, except for me. Sadly, I can only speak enough French to barely get me through a few phrases. Yesterday, I worked with Carlos. He does not speak much English, so we balanced each other out for the day. From working with him, I learned to understand some of the french common phrases. I have no problems directing you to the restrooms, or even the bus stop in French. I can make your coffee order, and serve which loaf of bread you order if you say it in French. Although, it may take me a few repetitions to solidify your request in my mind. Carlos threw me into the water and by doing this I was completely emerged. It helped toughen my skin.

I am excited to keep working for Le Moulin de Provence, and learning more about French foods, language, and culture.